JOIN USSeveral women from the Patel community on Thursday staged a protest at an election rally of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in Viramgam, the home town of jailed convenor of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), Hardik Patel.
The police even took into preventive detention Hardik’s mother and sister, who were leading the protests against the chief minister on Thursday.
Anandiben has been facing protest from members of her own community throughout her election tour of North and Central Gujarat, with police resorting to lathi-charge to disperse the agitating mobs at various places.
The town of Viramgam on Thursday was virtually converted into a fortress, in view of the intelligence reports that there could be mass protests by Patels against the chief minister.
As soon as the chief minister reached the venue of the election meeting, women from the Patel community appeared from different directions, beating dishes with spoons and shouting slogans against the BJP. Police swung into action to disperse the demonstrations and took into preventive detention the mother and younger sister of Hardik.
The protests come just two days ahead of second phase of polls to local self government bodies slated for November 29. The voters in semi-urban and rural Gujarat will elect their representatives to 56 municipalities, 31 district and 240 taluk panchayats.